Clint Bryan caught a lot of passes wearing #25, but capped his Bobcat career in #80
#80 - 80 Days til Kickoff 2012
6/11/2012 9:41:00 AM | Football
Clint Bryan, newly-minted in #80, capped a solid Bobcat career in 1993
Bobcat by the Numbers takes a look at current and past Bobcats that correspond to the number of days remaining before Montana State opens the 2012 football season against Chadron State in Bobcat Stadium's first night game on August 30.
#80
Tiai Salanoa, TE, Oxnard, CA: Tiai Salanoa's path to Montana State's wound a little further than most, but his time in Bozeman began with great promise last fall, when the reserve tight end caught four passes. Salanoa's blend of tremendous size (6-3, 255) with strength and athleticism leads some to consider the Oxnard, CA, native as a professional prospect down the road, and at least as a top-of-the-line tight end with the ability to impact both the pass and run games in MSU's versatile attack.
Spotlight: By the time the 1993 season rolled around, Clint Bryan – playing in jersey number 80 for the first time after three seasons in #25 - had been through plenty during his career as a Bobcat. Recruited to MSU in 1989 as a fleet-footed H-back in tailback in Earle Solomonson's veer offense, he quickly nailed down a starter's job at H-back in the hybrid spread approach Bart Andrus brought to Bozeman as Solomonson's offensive coordinator one year later, catching 34 passes. He caught 33 more passes as a junior in 1991, and by that point in his career had amassed 738 receiving yards. A knee injury shelved him in 1992, Cliff Hysell's first season at MSU, but Bryan returned as a receiver in '93. He caught a dozen passes for 265 yards and a TD as a senior during MSU's turnaround 7-4 campaign. Bryan, whose 80 career catches was good for eighth in school history at the conclusion of his career, eventually completed his chiropractic degree an returned to the Gallatin Valley, where he maintains a practice in Belgrade.
Chronology: Brad Lowell (1956), Del Layman (1957), Bill Townsend (1959), Dan Greer (1960-61), Bob Haines (1962), Doug Boyd (1963-66), Robin Stiff (1967-68), Mike Begley (1969), Hans Pidino (1970), Steve Harris (1971), Ron McCullough (1974-77), Wade Abel (1978), Bill Walker (1979), Ron Torchia (1980), Paul Williamson (1983), Pat Bergman (1984-88), Mark Crews (1990-91), Chris Clark (1992), Clint Bryan (1993), Brent Ludwig (1996), Brian Lutz (1997), Brandon Brooks (1999-2000), Brandon Bassett (2001-02), Kellen Alley (2003-04), Derek Green (2005-08), Jordan Rorich (2009), Tiai Salanoa (2011-)
Bonus Note for #80: The subject of yesterday's spotlight, Bill Cords, was involved in a notable play involving the number 80 during his senior season of 1962. Cords caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in MSU's 21-20 win over Fresno State. It was one of the longest plays by an NCAA member school that season, but was only the third-longest play by the Bobcats – Bill Mulcahy ran a punt back 85 yards for a TD, and quarterback Ken Christison also teamed with Russ Powers for an 80-yard scoring strike.
#80
Tiai Salanoa, TE, Oxnard, CA: Tiai Salanoa's path to Montana State's wound a little further than most, but his time in Bozeman began with great promise last fall, when the reserve tight end caught four passes. Salanoa's blend of tremendous size (6-3, 255) with strength and athleticism leads some to consider the Oxnard, CA, native as a professional prospect down the road, and at least as a top-of-the-line tight end with the ability to impact both the pass and run games in MSU's versatile attack.
Spotlight: By the time the 1993 season rolled around, Clint Bryan – playing in jersey number 80 for the first time after three seasons in #25 - had been through plenty during his career as a Bobcat. Recruited to MSU in 1989 as a fleet-footed H-back in tailback in Earle Solomonson's veer offense, he quickly nailed down a starter's job at H-back in the hybrid spread approach Bart Andrus brought to Bozeman as Solomonson's offensive coordinator one year later, catching 34 passes. He caught 33 more passes as a junior in 1991, and by that point in his career had amassed 738 receiving yards. A knee injury shelved him in 1992, Cliff Hysell's first season at MSU, but Bryan returned as a receiver in '93. He caught a dozen passes for 265 yards and a TD as a senior during MSU's turnaround 7-4 campaign. Bryan, whose 80 career catches was good for eighth in school history at the conclusion of his career, eventually completed his chiropractic degree an returned to the Gallatin Valley, where he maintains a practice in Belgrade.
Chronology: Brad Lowell (1956), Del Layman (1957), Bill Townsend (1959), Dan Greer (1960-61), Bob Haines (1962), Doug Boyd (1963-66), Robin Stiff (1967-68), Mike Begley (1969), Hans Pidino (1970), Steve Harris (1971), Ron McCullough (1974-77), Wade Abel (1978), Bill Walker (1979), Ron Torchia (1980), Paul Williamson (1983), Pat Bergman (1984-88), Mark Crews (1990-91), Chris Clark (1992), Clint Bryan (1993), Brent Ludwig (1996), Brian Lutz (1997), Brandon Brooks (1999-2000), Brandon Bassett (2001-02), Kellen Alley (2003-04), Derek Green (2005-08), Jordan Rorich (2009), Tiai Salanoa (2011-)
Bonus Note for #80: The subject of yesterday's spotlight, Bill Cords, was involved in a notable play involving the number 80 during his senior season of 1962. Cords caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in MSU's 21-20 win over Fresno State. It was one of the longest plays by an NCAA member school that season, but was only the third-longest play by the Bobcats – Bill Mulcahy ran a punt back 85 yards for a TD, and quarterback Ken Christison also teamed with Russ Powers for an 80-yard scoring strike.
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